Entry cam in bird house - A few questions

[greg_mitch]

Have had a few ding dong ditches as well as strange people coming up to the door to probe if people are home. I want to get some good photos of people. I am currently just looking to repurpose my cheap garage cam (Foscam FI9821P). It's garbage, I know. But it is wifi and available...so that works for me. I built a concept bird house that I might put in a fake shrub or on a post and set it on my front porch aimed at the front door.

I have a few issues:

1. At night the IR appears to be causing me issues, and the image is cloudy. Is this from reflection? Any ideas on how to fix? Do I just need to cut the opening larger?
2. I would like to cover the opening so that bugs don't get in there, particularly wasps. Is there anything I can put over the opening to not completely impede the video quality, while still allowing the IR through at night?

Any help is appreciated. Eventually I want to get a deal on a bullet camera or other to put inside the bird house. I also need to waterproof the seams with some glue or caulk, but it will be under a porch roof, so shouldn't get terribly wet.

 

[Kawboy12R]

The hole size should be OK if you could move the cam closer to the opening but the wide bottom is a problem. Painting the edge of the hole with matte black paint (presumably a brand non-reflective to IR, but your mileage may vary) will help a bit as well. If you can turn the IR off in software and use an external illuminator that'd be the best. Try day mode 24/7 if you have a porch light you could leave on.

Oh, and yes, the cloudiness is most likely from reflection.

 

[greg_mitch]

Leaving the light on at the porch might be the solution. Thanks for your comments.

Still need to work on aim so it isn't looking right at a light and the height needs to be better to catch faces of people standing at the doorway. Good proof of concept last night and today. Caught the UPS guy dropping some things off.

 

[greg_mitch]

For some reason the cheapy Foscam has lost all ability to dial back white balance in daylight. I think it still is workable at night, but in day the entire image is just all white. The camera may have gotten wet though, as my temporary setup has now been on the front porch for a few weeks through rains as I traveled for work and worried about other things. Perhaps I should pony up for a true exterior camera here...don't need the PTZ anyway with only a small hole to shoot through.

Anyone have any ideas on if modifying the white balance settings is possible manually?? I don't see squat in the Foscam App or in the Blue Iris settings at the moment. Any help there would buy me some time.

 

[greg_mitch]

Bump... Any help on my lack of white balance control? I have two Dahua cameras on the way, but wondering if this camera is messed up enough to chuck it or not.


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[Kawboy12R]

Factory reset help? If not I don't know what settings Foscams have.